Number of ROTC Applicants Continues to Grow

Northeastern University’s recent success in expanding its marketing and recruiting efforts has been mirrored by its Military Science Department, the Liberty Battalion of Army ROTC. This year, 219 high school students applied for four-year scholarships from the battalion. The program has seen a 30% increasein enrolled Cadets in the past year.

“We’ve been awarding about 18 commissions a year for the past 10 years,” said Lieutenant Colonel John McClellan, Professor of Military Science. “The Army has challenged us to increase this production to at least 23, so it is critical that we increase the number of scholarships awarded at the same rate.”

Northeastern hosts the Liberty Battalion of the ROTC which encompasses ten other schools in the area, including Boston College and Wentworth Institute of Technology.

“ROTC scholarship-seeking applicants love the fact that Northeastern University is the Host AROTC,” said Captain Douglas Washington, the battalion’s scholarship officer. “Many of the accepted students will take advantage of the ROTC classes which count toward a minor in leadership.”

Currently, 16 members of the class of 2012 hold an Army ROTC scholarship, which includes full tuition and fees and an annual book stipend of $1,200. The scholarship also includes a monthly living allowance that starts at $300 for freshmen and increases each academic year. As further incentive to join Northeastern’s ROTC program, the university offers a merit scholarship, up to an additional $6,300, for every student which helps to cover a portion their room and board.

“The scholarship incentive that Northeastern provides has a significant impact on an applicant’s decision to come here. There are over 250 programs nationwide for an applicant to choose from and the large number of applicants applying to Northeastern’s Liberty Battalion is testament to its top ranking,” said Captain Washington.

Students applying to Northeastern for the Army ROTC scholarship have credentials very similar to those who qualify for the honors program. The typical profile is 3.51GPA, 1231 SAT, multiple varsity letters, and substantial leadership experiences in their high school, communities or work life. “Our assessment criterion is rigorous and revolves around the key facets of ‘scholar-athlete-leader,’” added Washington.

Army ROTC scholarships are valid for almost every undergraduate program as well as many graduate-level programs. The department of Military Science assigns each Cadet a mentor and tailors the student’s academic progression to support Northeastern’s experiential learning opportunities and participation in varsity athletics. “Our students are among the leaders on this campus” said McClellan. “They have made a commitment to both academic excellence as well as service to the Nation.”

For more information, please contact Samantha Fodrowski at 617-373-5427 or at s.fodrowski@neu.edu.

About Northeastern

Founded in 1898, Northeastern University is a private research university located in the heart of Boston. Northeastern is a leader in interdisciplinary research, urban engagement, and the integration of classroom learning with real-world experience. The university’s distinctive cooperative education program, where students alternate semesters of full-time study with semesters of paid work in fields relevant to their professional interests and major, is one of the largest and most innovative in the world. The University offers a comprehensive range of undergraduate and graduate programs leading to degrees through the doctorate in six undergraduate colleges, eight graduate schools, and two part-time divisions. For more information, please visit www.northeastern.edu.